Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Hajj Verse 46

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Have they not, then, traveled on earth so that they should have had hearts to understand with, or ears to listen with? The fact is that it is not the eyes that turn blind, but what turns blind is the hearts contained in the chests.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Have they not travelled throughout the land so their hearts may reason, and their ears may listen? Indeed, it is not the eyes that are blind, but it is the hearts in the chests that grow blind.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Have they not traveled through the land so that their hearts might understand and their ears might listen? It is not the eyes that turn blind, but it is the hearts within the breasts that turn blind.

A. J. Arberry

What, have they not journeyed in the land so that they have hearts to understand with or ears to hear with? It is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts within the breasts.

Abdul Haleem

Have these people [of Mecca] not travelled through the land with hearts to understand and ears to hear? It is not people’s eyes that are blind, but their hearts within their breasts.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Have they not marched forth in the land, so that there might become unto them hearts to understand with or ears re hear with? Verily it is not the sights that are blinded but blinded are the hearts that are in the breasts.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts (and minds) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their breasts.

Abul Ala Maududi

Have they not journeyed in the land that their hearts might understand and their ears might listen? For indeed it is not the eyes that are blinded; it is rather the hearts in the breasts that are rendered blind.

Ahmed Ali

Have they not travelled in the land that they could have the heart to understand, and ears to hear? It is not the eyes alone that do not see, oblivious are the hearts within their breasts.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So have they not travelled in the land, to have hearts with which to understand and ears to hear with? So it is not the eyes that are blind, but it is the hearts in the bosoms, that are blind.

Ali Quli Qarai

Have they not travelled through the land so that they may have hearts by which they may exercise their reason, or ears by which they may hear? Indeed, it is not the eyes that turn blind, but it is the hearts in the breasts that turn blind!

Ali Ünal

Do they never travel about the earth (and view all these scenes with an eye to learn lessons) so that they may have hearts with which to reason (and arrive at truth), or ears with which to hear (God’s call)? For indeed it is not the eyes that have become blind, it is rather the hearts in the breasts that are blind.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Why do they not travel in the land so that they should have hearts that help them to understand and ears which can help them hear? As a matter of fact (when going astray) it is not the (physical) eyes that are blind but blind are the hearts which lie in the bosoms.

English Literal

Do they not walk/move/ride in the earth/Planet Earth, so it (can) be for them hearts/minds they reason/comprehend with it, or ears they hear/listen with it, so that it truly does not blind/confuse the eye sights/knowledge and but that the hearts/minds which (are) in the chests (innermosts) blind/confuse (although they have eyes, they refuse to accept it).

Faridul Haque

So have they not travelled in the land, to have hearts with which to understand and ears to hear with? So it is not the eyes that are blind, but it is the hearts in the bosoms, that are blind.

Hamid S. Aziz

And how many a city (community) have We destroyed while it was guilty (did wrong), and it tumbled down on its roof, lying ruined to this day, and how many a deserted well and lofty palace!

Hilali & Khan

Have they not travelled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear? Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

How many a town We destroyed while it was iniquitous, so it is fallen down upon its roofs; and (how many) a deserted well and palace raised high!

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Have they not travelled in the land so that they should have hearts with which to understand, or ears with which to hear? For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts which are in the breasts.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Have they not travelled in the land, and have they hearts wherewith to feel and ears wherewith to hear? For indeed it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts, which are within the bosoms, that grow blind.

Muhammad Sarwar

Have they not travelled (sufficiently) in the land to have understanding hearts and listening ears? It is their hearts which are blind, not their ears.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Have they never journeyed through the land so that they have hearts to understand, or ears to hear with? It is not the eyes, but the hearts in the chests that are blind.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Have they not traveled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind.

Wahiduddin Khan

Have these people not travelled through the land to make their hearts understand and let their ears hear; the truth is that it is not the eyes that are blind but the hearts that are in the bosoms that are blinded.

Talal Itani

Have they not journeyed in the land, and had minds to reason with, or ears to listen with? It is not the eyes that go blind, but it is the hearts, within the chests, that go blind.

Tafsir jalalayn

Have they, namely, the disbelievers of Mecca, not travelled in the land so that they may have hearts with which to comprehend, what befell deniers before them, or ears with which to hear?, the stories of how they were destroyed and their dwelling-places were ruined, and so take heed? Indeed it is not the eyes that turn blind, but it is the hearts that turn blind within the breasts (allat f'l-sudr, for emphasis).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الاَْرْضِ

Have they not traveled through the land,

means, have they not traveled in the physical sense and also used their minds to ponder!

That is sufficient, as Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya said in his book At-Tafakkur wal-I`tibar,

"Some of the wise people said,

`Give life to your heart with lessons,

illuminate it with thought,

kill it with asceticism,

strengthen it with certain faith,

remind it of its mortality,

make it aware of the calamities of this world,

warn it of the disasters that life may bring,

show it how things may suddenly change with the passing of days,

tell it the stories of the people of the past, and

remind it what happened to those who came before."'

Walk through their ruins, see what they did and what became of them, meaning, look at the punishments and divine wrath that struck the nations of the past who belied,

فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَا أَوْ اذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا

and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear,

meaning, let them learn a lesson from that.

فَإِنَّهَا لَاإ تَعْمَى الاْإَبْصَارُ وَلَكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ



Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind.

means, the blind person is not the one whose eyes cannot see, but rather the one who has no insight. Even if the physical eyes are sound, they still cannot learn the lesson